Who's going to win this week's Central Georgia GHSA and GISA high school football games? And Loughdmouthings
Loughdmouthings
The season is nearing an end, but when we get around to the summer and preseason, can we please eliminate the phrase “week zero” from the friggin’ planet?
The first week people can play is week one. Period. Put everybody on the same schedule. It’s not hard. It’s efficient and clear.
And efficiency and clarity are good things. …
Dear beloved gamestreamers/casters: Please don’t yell. Please don’t scream. Please don’t yell and scream at the same time. Please shut up and let somebody else talk, and then you talk. …
The last time Central Georgia didn’t have a team in the second round from the state’s largest classification?
2010. Northside lost 28-21 at home to Whitewater in the first round, and Houston County went 6-4 and 3-4 and didn’t make the playoffs. …
Central Georgia has more GHSA teams still alive at this point than a year ago.
Not with us this year in the second round: Houston County, Veterans, West Laurens, Mary Persons, Mount de Sales.
With us this year after watching last year:
Upson-Lee, Central, Northeast, Dodge County, Bleckley County, Stratford, FPD, Bleckley County, Hancock Central, Macon County. …
Brooks County and Dublin are 150 miles apart, but this is only the fourth time they’ve played?
That’s farther apart than I realized, but still, it sounds like two fellas need to talk about some money-making games during the next round of scheduling. …
Dear beloved FridayNightgamecasters: Stat things I: The yardline is the next progressive yardline, not the one closest to the ball. First downs count on TDs where a first down is gained if there was no TD. …
Dang, the GHSA had the coin flip at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame? Sure would’ve been a good time for the GHSA boss to meet with area media, and a good time for the Hall to get some area media in the building. …
The Christmas break would be an absolutely outstanding time for folks from GISA and GAPPS to start talking about merging. Then maybe they can discuss drastically improving their websites and the dissemination of information. …
Good thing about Friday night’s rain: Some places will have involuntary social distancing, because they’re dang sure not social distancing on most Friday nights.
Predictions
Last week: 25-5
Season: 247-69, 77.62 pct.
Within 7 points of margin: 6, 71 for the season
Upset specials: none
A note: The Sports Report policy is to max out picks at 39 points although some games could earn a predicted margin of victory in the 40s and 50s.
Griffin (R2/2, 7-4) at No. 10 Jones County (R4/1, 8-3)
Jones County is alive by about the width of a kicking tee, surviving an underrated team that botched it at the end. Griffin is a good program – pretty balanced this year - without a quality win, and the Bears don’t get one this time. The Greyhounds are much better this week.
TSR pick: Jones County by 22
Woodward Academy (R3/2, 7-4) at No. 2 Warner Robins (R1/1, 9-1)
The bad news for Woodward: Warner Robins has had only two on-field wins determined by less than 28 points. The good news for Woodward: there’s a good shot the War Eagles and RB Damari Alston (1,434 yards, 23 TDs) become the fourth. Nice rebound from losing 42-17 to Creekside with a first-round win, but the Demons are the Demons.
TSR pick: Warner Robins by 29
LaGrange (R2/2, 8-3) at No. 8 Perry (R4/1, 6-4)
The easy bet is that this will be close, because all Perry games are pretty close. The Panthers got a late score last week for the 16-point win. Both teams might be better than their records, so this will come down to that one series in the fourth quarter or who takes advantage of an earlier mistake.
TSR pick: Perry by 9
No. 9 Baldwin (R4/2, 5-1) at No. 3 Carver-Columbus (R2/1, 9-0)
The Braves, despite themselves yet again, found a way to gut out a win, and perhaps putting the “you called that good?” loss to Perry in the rearview. But Baldwin has to play the game it hasn’t really come close to playing this year to continue.
TSR pick: Carver by 19
No. 10 Thomson (R4/2, 9-2) at No. 3 Peach County (R2/1, 8-1)
Finally, the clock operator will have to stay fully awake in the second half at Anderson Stadium. The Bulldogs’ two losses – then No. 4/5A Ware County and region champ Richmond Academy – are quality losses, and they’re also well-rested after whipping up on two-win – geez – Tattnall County last week. It’s a veteran playoff program in at least the second round for the sixth straight year. Same as Peach County.
TSR pick: Peach County by 17
Central (R2/3, 6-3) at No. 6 Pierce County (R1/1, 9-1)
The Bears have held five teams below 10 points, with three shutouts (including to 6A Brunswick and 5A Wayne County). Central has found some consistency, but the Chargers will need some versatility on offense and get a turnover or two against a team with 39 sacks.
TSR pick: Pierce County by 25
Upson-Lee (R2/4, 6-5) at No. 8 Appling County (R1/2, 8-1)
Legendary head coach Rick Tomberlin leads Appling County, a bit of a Central Georgia heartbreaker that beat Westside 28-7 last year in the first round and Peach County 14-7 in 2014’s first round. The Knights will have to have an un-Knights-like game – no silly and head-scratching mistakes, and they’ll have to get off the field quicker than normal against a run-heavy offense – and get some breaks they don’t give back to be in it in the fourth quarter.
TSR pick: Appling County by 27
No. 3 Thomasville (R1/2, 7-4) at No. 9 Dodge County (R3/1, 5-3)
Among the “if you’re looking for a game to go to” candidates in Central Georgia. The Bulldogs’ four losses are to ranked teams – then and now – still alive: Class A Public Brooks County by six, 4A Bainbridge by seven, 3A Oconee County by 30, and region rival Fitzgerald by one. A four-loss team that’s No. 3 for a reason. A battle of contrasts, and of 2019 first-round opponents.
TSR pick: Dodge County by 4 (mild upset special)
Northeast (R3/2, 7-2) at No. 1 Fitzgerald (R1/1, 10-0)
The Purple Hurricane have nearly two dozen seniors, are 9-2 at home the past two seasons, and have won 10 of their last 11 home playoff games, dating back, though, to 2014. But this is the rare year they have home-field advantage, and are looking for their first real title run since 2016. Will they overlook the Raiders?
TSR pick: Fitzgerald by 22.
Bleckley County (R3/4, 6-3) at No. 6 Early County (R1/3, 6-2)
Both teams are off unexpected routs, moreso for Bleckley County, which jackhammered Vidalia. Early County thumped Putnam County, which hadn’t played a strong schedule. The Royals win was particularly impressive, since they hadn’t played since Nov. 6, and came out storming. There’s no postseason-experience advantage here, in the battle of Early County’s one-dimensional offense and Bleckley County’s balanced attack. Note that Early County is on a run of 70, 42, 53, and 48 points its last four games, but the Royals may have an edge in a close game.
TSR pick: Early County by 4.
No. 3 Brooks County (R2/2, 10-1) at No. 2 Dublin (R4/1, 10-1)
Among the “if you’re looking for a game to go to” candidates in Central Georgia. Goodness. At their current schools, Roger Holmes is 171-60-1 and Maurice Freeman, who spent a few seasons at Southwest, is 166-53. This is a rematch of last year’s AA title game, won 42-32 by Dublin. This one will be closer. Brooks County is more balanced, getting a little less yardage per game than a year ago. Ditto run-heavy Dublin.
TSR pick: Dublin by 9.
Warren County (R7/2, 8-2) at No. 6 Macon County (R5/1, 9-1)
Macon County has survived some bouts of mistakes and inconsistency, but the Bulldogs can score. Warren County is good, but doesn’t come from a strong region with playoff-saavy programs. The Screaming Devils haven’t played a ranked team, and only two opponents are still alive. Then again, only one Macon County opponent is still playing.
TSR pick: Macon County by 11
Lincoln County (R8/3, 6-4) at Hancock Central (R7/1, 7-0)
One has tradition, and one doesn’t. One has a substantial strength-of-schedule with three ranked opponents and a region with three teams still left. The Red Devils are off a 16-point road win over a ranked team, the Bulldogs off a two-point home win over three-win team.
TSR pick: Lincoln County by 19
Calvary Day (R3/2, 7-4) at FPD (R1/2, 7-4)
The Vikings weren’t at 100 percent in the 42-17 road loss in early November. The Cavaliers sat last week with a forfeit win after a quality 37-19 win over Aquinas. Calvary Day could have a hint of overconfidence, unimpressed with FPD’s romp over a team that shouldn’t have been in the playoffs.
TSR pick: FPD by 7
Stratford (R1/3, 8-2) at Eagle’s Landing Christian (R2/1, 8-3)
Rare is the year it’s good to play ELCA, but this might be a year when it’s not totally cringe-worthy to play ELCA. There’s size and talent and all that, but the Chargers haven’t lost three regular-season games 2014 when they lost seven. And, well, won seven and reached the finals. The Eagles haven’t lost a fumble all year, and if they can get that wing-T going like it has much of the season …
TSR pick: ELCA by 13 (upset alert)
GISA
Semifinals
Seed in parentheses with record; rankings through MaxPreps and committee
Westfield (4, 7-2-1) at John Milledge (1, 9-0)
The Hornets are rockin’ these days, and are off an OT win at home. But playing John Milledge a second time after being thumped in the regular-season hasn’t helped anybody in awhile. Then again, the 14-10 JMA win in Sept. 2018 was the Trojans’ second-closest win of the year, so the Hornets aren’t likely to be overly underconfident. Still …
TSR pick: John Milledge by 36
SW Georgia (8-3) at Gatewood (1, 9-1)
Gatewood won this regular-season meeting 34-20 in October of 2019, part of a nine-game winning streak en route to the AA title. The Warriors aren’t all that hot, splitting their last four games.
TSR pick: Gatewood by 27
Briarwood (6-4-1) at Brentwood (2, 7-2)
The War Eagles won by 20 way back in mid-September, and went on to give up only 19 points in the next five games. This is only the sixth home game of the year for Brentwood, which wants another crack at Gatewood, and knows Briarwood is too good to overlook.
TSR pick: Brentwood by 20